Kaikoura Adventures

On a recent trip down South we decided to head up to Kaikoura to go for a bit of a tramp and see some sights with a couple of friends. We originally planned to walk from the Mt Fyffe carpark up the river to the Kowhai hut for the night then over the saddle and down to the Hapuku carpark at the other end.

Tim had uni until 1pm (which seemed ridiculous to me...whoever heard of uni on a Saturday!) so we didn't leave Christchurch until the afternoon and didn't get to Kaikoura until after 4pm. That meant by the time we actually got the cars sorted and got going it was after 5pm. Luckily we came prepared with headlights!


Most of the route to the hut was up a river which was tedious and cold (freezing!). I was in gloves and a hat pretty early on too as once we lost the sun we also lost all heat. Then once off the river it got dark and we had to get out the lights. By the time we got to the hut it was about 8:15 and there were no more bunks so we ended up on the floor. But at least it was nice and warm inside! I can't say that any of us got much sleep though (especially when the hunters got up at some early hour and didn't make any attempt to be quiet).


The following morning was beautiful...but cold! But not long into the day I was already tired of the river bashing and a bit grumpy so Michael and I decided we'd abandon the others and go climb a mountain instead so we turned back and wandered back through the bush we'd walked through in the dark the night before. It was very pretty now that it was daylight!


At the edge of the track, where it joins the river to head back to the carpark there was another track leading up the Spaniard Spur to the Mt Fyffe Hut. Now I may not be great at rivers (although we set a goal of getting me confident running the coast to coast run section by midsummer next year) but I am damn good at climbing up!


The spur track is narrow and very steep. You will gain over 800 metres of height in, well, not long at all. Quite scary when you look down but fun!






Mt Fyffe Hut! Pity we didn't have time to go to the top of Mt Fyffe. I want to come back and do that next time


Looking down to Kaikoura
Unfortunately when you go up you have to go back down which is not nearly as fun. The track down was an old gravel road and kind of unexciting. It kind of went on and on and we were wishing for a gondola at this point! It definitely took longer to go down than it did to go up which just seems wrong on some level.


So all and all a bit of an up and down trip but we had beautiful weather, the scenery was lovely and the company was awesome.

Summer adventures in Canterbury

I'm off home again tomorrow but I've been chilling down in Christchurch for the summer and in amongst working and surviving aftershocks I've been out and about exploring. Now Christchurch itself is basically flat...flat as a pancake...except for the Port Hills which are anything but flat. I hate flat so fortunately Michael lives pretty close to the hills.

We've been riding up Mt Pleasant in thick mist where you could only see a few metres in front of you. We've cruised up Evans Pass and along to Godley Head with a lovely (haha) headwind all the way up.




We've ridden out to Halswell Quarry. We've raced out to Sumner several times (with a couple of dips in the ocean for good measure). I ventured out on my own up to the Sign of the Kiwi (and didn't even get lost for once!).

We've watched the men's New Zealand Road Cycling Champs and see local boy, Hayden Roulston, blitz the field. Oh, and seen them come tearing so fast down Hackthorne road that it was scary!


We've also been running up in the Port Hills via several different tracks. We've jogged along the river. We've run in circles round the park (oh intervals, how I dread thee). We've run a 5km race at Hagley Park.


Top of Mt Vernon, oh yeah!
Then we've run up and around the Port Hills a bit more for good measure (and battled strong headwinds and long grass to get to the top).

We've been climbing several times at The Roxx, even giving some bouldering a go for something a bit different.


We've even managed to escape from Christchurch in between work and head out towards Arthurs Pass, exploring the hills around Craigieburn, this time without the snow unlike in TWALK (but there was an awful lot of wind...threatening to blow me off the hillsides).






We spent the night camping amongst the trees in the rain at Mt White.




Then run through the bush the following day to the Hallelujah Flats (up up up then down down down) and bashed back down through the river (which was freezing cold).




Canterbury, you've been awesome and I can't wait to come back! Oh wait, I will be back next weekend...awesome :)

Drills and adventures at Tawharanui

Running drills...not just walking funny!


These drills require intense concentration...


Yay, I'm awesome and thank god that's over!






My leg muscles look a little freaky...

Adventures in Christchurch

I spent a few days in Christchurch visiting my friends and just generally hanging out...which involves adventures. On the Friday Brent and I tramping on the Port Hills. I'd prefer to run the tracks but you can't have everything!
















Saturday was rock climbing at The Roxx. I would have liked to climb outside again but it was really a bit too cold for that. But the textured wall here is awesome. We don't really have anything like that at Extreme Edge up in Auckland.




Then Sunday was some club orienteering at South Brighton domain. I had 2 shocker runs (a 180 on such an easy course is really quite embarrassing!) but it was all good fun and I love orienteering. Plus it's always good to hang out with the PAPO guys.

And finally on Monday Michael took me out running at Halswell Quarry which was quite nice. It was a bit overcast and drizzly for any photos though but it's pretty cool especially when you're at the top of the quarry looking down. Would be nice to have more people to run with in Auckland...perhaps I should move to Christchurch!